A substantial body of literature has been developed concerning techniques that employ binding reactions, e.g., antigen-antibody reactions, nucleic acid hybridization and receptor-ligand reactions, for the sensitive measurement of analytes of interest in samples. The high degree of specificity in many biochemical binding systems has led to many assay methods and systems of value in a variety of markets including basic research, human and veterinary diagnostics, environmental monitoring and industrial testing. The presence of an analyte of interest may be measured by directly measuring the participation of the analyte in a binding reaction. In some approaches, this participation may be indicated through the measurement of an observable label attached to one or more of the binding materials.
Commercially available assays are generally supplied in a pre-set configuration, offering the user little or no flexibility to evaluate target(s) that may be of unique interest to him or her. Such commercial panels may include target analytes that are of little or no interest and/or they may not include the desired target analyte(s). Therefore, there is a need to provide the user a flexible method to configure a user-defined multiplexed assay using a standard set of assay materials and methods.